Indus Valley

Indian History · सिंधु घाटी · 28 facts

John Marshall was the first person to use the term 'Indus Valley Civilization'

Grid-pattern town planning with the world's most advanced drainage system

Every city had two parts: Citadel (upper town — for rulers) and Lower Town (for common people)

Burnt bricks used (not sun-dried) — standard ratio 1:2:4 (thickness:width:length)

No evidence of temples — likely a secular civilization

Script not deciphered yet — written right to left (boustrophedon style)

Weights & Measures in multiples of 16 (not 10)

Main crops: Wheat, Barley, Cotton (first in the world!), Rice (at Lothal & Rangpur)

Trade with Mesopotamia — IVC was called 'Meluha' by Mesopotamians

Iron was NOT used. Main metals: Copper, Bronze, Gold, Silver

Worshipped Mother Goddess (Matridevi) — most figurines found at Harappa

Worshipped Pipal Tree (sacred tree)

Believed in life after death — buried dead with ornaments and pottery

No evidence of army or warfare — peaceful civilization

FIRST dockyard in the world → Lothal

FIRST ploughed field in the world → Kalibangan

FIRST cotton production in the world → IVC (Greeks called it 'Sindon')

LARGEST site overall → Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan)

LARGEST site in India → Rakhigarhi (Haryana)

ONLY site with horse bones → Surkotada (Gujarat)

ONLY site with NO citadel → Chanhudaro

ONLY site with Indus signboard → Dholavira

FIRST IVC site discovered → Harappa (1921)

FIRST IVC site in independent India → Ropar/Rupnagar (Punjab)

IVC period: 2600–1900 BCE (Mature Phase)

Also called Harappan Civilization (first site: Harappa, 1921)

Largest ancient civilization by area

Grid town planning + advanced drainage